It’s still a thought, but I think one might have procedural problems with administering an antidote to anaphylactic shock—even if you knew of one—insofar as for most such things, you have to steep the herb in boiling water or otherwise do something time-consuming to it, in order to extract the active principle. Judging from the anecdotes I’ve heard from Kit and others, I don’t think you’d have time to do that, if someone went into full-blown anaphylaxis right in front of you—and anaphylactic shock wouldn’t be a sufficiently common occurrence in that setting for a physician to keep the remedy always on hand (given that most herbal medicines have to be made fresh at fairly short intervals; they don’t keep well).

Thanks!—Diana

Fm: Coleen 103361,1003

To: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

Hmm… interesting dilemma. I also wondered if maybe caffeine from coffee or theophylline from tea would help—but I remember Claire’s aversion to the traditional English tea (or even the theobromine from chocolate… yum). I know it’s not for this patient since it’s such a poignant part of Claire’s learning experience… I’m just doing the typical problem-solving that’s been drilled into my head.

No, these probably wouldn’t work for acute, severe anaphylactic reactions, only for respiratory signs, or asthma attacks… Purified cow’s adrenal? LOL—the person she tried that on would probably end up being allergic to cow protein!

Persistent, ain’t I?

Coleen

Fm: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

To: Coleen 103361,1003

Dear Coleen—

Oh, Claire likes tea. However, we are at the moment in a ra-ther remote little settlement in the mountains of North Carolina, it’s 1770, and the Townshend Acts have been in effect for the last two years—these being import taxes on British products like… er… tea? (Boston Tea Party ring a bell? )

Why don’t you tell me exactly how to purify a cow adrenal, just in case I ever need to know this?

Diana

Fm: Coleen 103361,1003

To: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

Hi again, Diana,

—I remember her comment about black tea to John Grey in an excerpt from The King Farewell—oop! I guess I’m getting a little ahead of the story.

Hmm… I remember seeing the TV show dramatizing how the Canadian team discovered insulin… I don’t think they gave the specifics of how to purify pancreas though . I wonder if it would be the same for adrenal… Not quite the same conversation they’re having in the Food topic:) I’m afraid school never taught us all those neat recipes. Just poke the vial and suck it out—that’s about as much as they thought we could handle .

Coleen (who is actually looking to see if she has anything on the discovery of adrenaline, even if you were being facetious )

Fm: Susan Martin/SL8 74101,113

To: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

Diana,

I can’t speak to the medical part—nothing stuck out to me, but then IANAD. As to the emotional part, lovely. Well done!

—Susan

Fm: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

To: Susan Martin/SL8 74101,113

Dear Susan—

Thank you!

—Diana

Fm: Mira Brown 100425,170

To: Diana Gabaldon 76530,523

Hi, Diana,

Hope the migraine is better. Mountain Dew with avocado and bagels?

To the scene: I echo much of what Rosina has already said. Love the loneliness, the desperate need for contact with the other doctor, the need for reassurance that eventually comes from Brianna.

Also, the “orderly room” filled with the smell of wood and food, complete with the corpse and candles. I’ve seen it in villages back home—it still makes me shiver a bit but also has that wonderful “life goes on” quality.

However, strictly as a reader , I find it difficult to accept that C. would even consider the woman’s death as a murder or her responsibility in such a big way. I repeat here as a lay-reader because in truth it would take a doctor, and the one who had to go through something like that to pass an informed judgment.

Years ago I was involved in a road accident (it wasn’t me driving) and between